Carnegie Hill Stable and Kingfield Racing Stable's Neshama capped the card June 12 with an upset in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser. Video: Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser
Under the guidance of jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva, the daughter of Sligo Bay rallied by front-runner Caren in the final furlong and held off a late run from odds-on favorite and two-time graded winner Gamble's Ghost to win by a nose in the 1 1/8-mile test for Canadian-bred fillies.
It was the first stakes win for Neshama, who ran fifth behind fellow Oaks runners Crumlin Spirit, Caren, and in her 3-year-old debut May 1 in the Lady Angela Stakes at Woodbine, but bounced back from that effort to win a 1 1/16-mile allowance May 18.
It was also the first Oaks win for da Silva, Woodbine's leading rider in 2015, and trainer Catherine DayPhillips, the daughter of James Day, who won the Oaks a record five times.
"She's been a nice filly and acted like a racehorse, really, from the beginning last year," Phillips said. "In the fall, she really came into her own, and this spring she's been really professional. She really enjoys her job."
Caren set the pace with fractions of :23.75, :47.91, and 1:12.51 through six furlongs, as Neshama raced in fourth early, then third, about three lengths off the leader. Caren kicked clear at the top of the stretch with a three-length advantage, but was no match for Neshama late.
"Everything went well for me," da Silva said. "(Caren's jockey Jesse Campbell) asked his filly to open up a little bit and I thought I just wanted to keep going to maybe finish second ... and she ran great. She dug in."
Off at 15-1, the winner hit the wire in 1:52.34 and paid $32.30, $8.10, and $5.20 across the board. Gamble's Ghost, the 4-5 favorite, brought $2.80 and $2.10, and Caren held for second to return $3 to show.
Ivan Dalos' homebred Gamble's Ghost, the last-out winner of the Selene (Can-III) May 15 and the 2015 Mazarine (Can-III), was hampered significantly in the final turn and in the stretch. The Ghostzapper filly got shut off on the inside in the turn, had to angle out in, and bumped with fourth-place finisher Crumlin Spirit before unleashing her late drive, but just came up short.
A race earlier, Dalos' Amis Gizmo got a much better trip in the $150,000 Plate Trial to win at odds of 2-1. The Giant Gizmo colt improved his record at Woodbine to 5-for-6 Sunday with a closing victory in the prep for the $1 million Queen's Plate July 3.Video: Plate Trial S.
Amis Gizmo raced in fifth after a half mile, but moved to the lead in the final turn and bested 4-5 favorite Shakhimat by 2 1/2 lengths for trainer Josie Carroll. With jockey Luis Contreras aboard, Amis Gizmo ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.12.
